RUBBER

PEST
 Introduction
Insect and mammalian pest is not as
problematic as in other crops
But if left unattended they may cause
setback on growth or even death of trees
 Common Pests of Rubber in
Malaysia
Common Name Scientific Name Nature of Damage Pest Status
A. Insect Pest Attacking

1. Leaves and shoots

Mites and trips are by far the

Hemitarsonemus latus
Their sucking habits causes
Mites and trips Eotetranychus sp.
defoliation.
Sericothrips dorsalis
Unarmored scales Trees in the first 3 years of
Saissetia nigra field planting are most
Pulvinaria maxima susceptible, sustained sap-
sucking by a large number of
insects may cause defoliation,
dieback and side shooting.
Under severe attack, young
Scale insects plants could die
Armored scales Armored scales differ from the
above by their possessing a
Lepidosaphes cocculi
shield of wax and cast skins
Pinnespia aspidistrae closely applied to the body .
Nature of damage is similar to
that of the unarmored scales
most problematic leaf
defoliators, especially in
immature plantings. They
sometimes also affect mature
trees but treatment of such
cases is generally
uneconomic
Scale insects, sometimes
together with mites and thrips,
are the main pests that can
delay the maturity of a field.
However, they very rarely
attack mature rubber and
even if they do, treatment is
uneconomic unless severe
damage is experience
 This pest is characterized by
possessing a hard resinous
coat over its body. Closely Outbreaks of lac insects are
Lac insects Laccifer greeni crowded individuals from a less common than those of
red incrustation on shoots. In the scales.
large enough numbers they
cause defoliation
Attacked plants, especially
when young, may experience
defoliation and dieback. When
the terminal bud is attacked,
stem distortion and crinkled
leaves result.
Mealy bugs usually infest only
a few plants at any time, and
Ferrisiana virgata Most scale, lac insects and are more common in the
Mealy bugs mealybugs excrete honeydew
Planococcus citri nursery than in the field. In the
on which ants feed. In excess, field, plants in the first year
the sugary liquid falls on are most susceptyible
leaves below, encouraging
sooty mould t form. This
fungus, though not directly
injurious to plants, could
reduce photosynthesis by
shutting of light.
Grasshoppers are most Large scale outbreaks can
destructive to covers but the cause significant economic
species Valanga is known to damage to rubber, especially
skeletonise rubber leaves and immature plantings
Valanga nigricornis feed on buds and green bark
Brachytrypes portentosus
Grasshoppers and Crickets
Acheta testacea Crickets may attack newly Although crickets are less
planted buddings. Green troublesome, their damage
tissues above the union are could increase the number of
stripped, resulting in death of supplies required
the point.

Leaf-eating caterpillarsyeear
Cockhafer beetles
Weevils
This curious looking
caterpillar with long club-
ended hairs could, under
outbreak situations, defoliate
Homodes brachteigutta trees through the
skeletonisation of leaves. The
latter is achieved through the
consumption of softer tissue
between main veins.
Feeds on mature leaves in
Adoretus compressus immature plantings, leaves
being skeletonised.
Immature rubber is the prime
target, unhardened leaves
Hypomeces squamosus being wholly devoured,
hardened ones being
skeletonised interveinally.
The pest has been recorded
in mature rubber. Damage is
usually not serious enough to
justify treatment, the pest in
most cases being naturally
controlled. However, it has
been known to cause
significant defoliation in 7-8
year-old plantings.
Outbreaks are rare and
usually occur only after
prolonged periods of dry
weather.
Outbreaks are very rare,
occurring only when rubber is
near the weevils indigenous
hosts.
 Common Name Scientific Name Nature of Damage
2. Trunk and Roots
This pest nests underground
and gains access to rubber
points via tunnels. The taproot
and bole are penetrated and
may become hollowed out by
the formation of galleries.
Immature trees die soon after
The rubber tree termite Coptotermes curvignathus
this occurs. Mature trees may
show no overt signs until they
collapsed, often aided by
wind. Termite damage is most
marked in ex-jungle plantings
and replantings in poorly
cleared land.
This pest can be troublesome
at all stages of rubber
development. At the nursery
and immature stages, plants
Leucopholis rorida could be killed outright by the
destruction of the root system.
Root-feeding cockchafers Laechnosterna bidentata
At the mature stage, repeated
Psilopholis vestita attacks cause weakening and
even death of trees. In hilly
terrain, activity of grubs could
loosen the soil sufficiently to
cause collapse of terraces
Pest Status
This is by far the most serious
pest of rubber in terms of
frequency of occurrence and
the irrevocable damage that it
inflicts. Extensive vacant
patches can result if control
measures are not promptly
taken.
When established, the pest is
most serious, damage being
more widespread hen that
caused by termites. Certain
areas of the Peninsular seem
to experience the problem
more than others, these being
a contiguous belt stretching
across Johore, Malacca, and
Negeri Sembilan, another in
South Kedah to Central and
smaller areas in Pahang

Bark-feeding caterpillars
3. Reproductive Parts
Flower-feeding caterpillars
Sucking bugs
During outbreaks of these
caterpillars, large numbers
Euproctis subnotata may congregate at the
Very few outbreaks have
Homodes brachteigutta tapping panel and feed on
been recorded
Aconthopsyche snelleni regenerating bark, causing
extensive wounding near the
tapping cut
Euproctis subnotata Degree of damage varies
Rubber flowers are destroyed from year to year. Damage is
Hemithea costipunctata
by the pests feeding activity of no economic importance
Hyposidra talace except in seed gardens
Lygus macgillavryi These insects suck the rubber Seed production is reduced.
inflorescence tissues, causing Damage is only of importance
Eurystylus sp. premature flower fall in seed gardens
 Common Name Scientific Name Nature of Damage Pest Status
B. Non-Insect Pest

1. Snails and Slugs

Snails and slugs damage

The giants snail Achatina fulica young planting by eating the
apical buds. Sustained
feedings of this nature causes
multiple shooting that is
Parmarion martensei clustered and compact. The
Slugs Mariaella dussumieri pests also retard LCC
Vagimula sp development
When the pests reach
outbreak proportions,
alarming damage can be
experienced. Proliferation
normally accompanies
sustained wet weather
 Common Name Scientific Name Nature of Damage Pest Status

2. Mammalian Pests

Rats are known to be able to

Besides being troublesome in damage and even destroy
nurseries, rats are also significant areas of immature
Rattus tiomanicus increasingly of concern in plantings in a very short time.
Rattus argentiventer replants, entire buddings Outbreaks are sudden and
being ringbarked or bitten off. reasons for this are not
Rats Rattus diardii
When this happens, scions known. Damage to bark of
Rattus rajah often die. Rats are also mature trees usually occurs in
Bandicota bengalensis known to feed on bark of plantings neighbouring
older trees, such activity jungles, rat species of the
causing extensive wounding latter environment being more
inclined to do this
Squirrels damage in immature
plantings often cannot be
distinguished from that
caused by rats, except when
plants are partially cut at the
Squirrel damage occurs less
Callosciurus notatus base. The cut portion appears
commonly that rat damage.
Squirrels split upwards and pith may be
Callosciurus caniceps Damage is also not as
eaten. Bark of older plants is
extensive
also known to be attacked,
characteristic spiral cuts being
made; this is done apparently
for the purpose of drinking
latex
 Damage to immature
plantings is often
indistinguishable from that by
rats, trappings exercises are Damage by shrews is
Shrews Tupaia glis necessary to ascertain pest infrequent in comparison with
composition, In mature that by rats
plantings, shrews are known
to gnaw regenerating bark,
wounding the panel

Monkeys are occasionally

troublesome in young
replants, some species
actually feeding on leaves
Macaca fascicularis whereas others damage
Monkeys Macaca nemestrina buddings through their playful
Presbytis spp habits. In mature plantings,
monkeys become a nuisance
when spouts, cups and
workers belongings are
disturbed by them
Monkeys, especially
macaques, are increasingly
common features in rubber
estates. Reports of actual
damage to rubber are
however far fewer than those
of their being nuisance
 Summary of Current Recommendations for Control
of Common Rubber Pest
Recommended Dilution Rate Spraying
Insecticide Active
Pest Rate of Equipmen Remarks
Formulation Ingredient
Application t
Formulation
% a.i.
*

Mites and dimethoate Apply to affected 0.2 0.08 Knapsack

Rogor 40EC -
Thrips 40% plants only 0.8 0.32 Mistblower

Spray thoroughly to
Scale Insects cover all affected
dimethoate Apply to affected
Lac Insects Rogor 40EC 0.15 0.06 Knapsack parts of the plant.
40% plants only
Mealybugs Repeat once or twice
at weekly intervals

Apply on plants 0.22 0.17 Knapsack

acephate Good coverage is
Grasshoppers Orthene 75S with hopper activity
75% 0.45 0.34 Mistblower important
only

Scatter about 20g

of granules evenly
in a circle around
carbofuran affected plant.
Crickets Furadan 3G - - - -
3% Neighboring plants
to a radius of 2
points should
likewise be treated
* X 10 = approximates rate in ml or g per litre water
 Recommended Dilution Rate
Insecticide Active Spraying
Pest Rate of Remarks
Formulation Ingredient Formulation Equipment
Application % a.i.
*
Leaf eating
caterpillars, As for As for As for As for
As for grasshoppers -
cockchafers grasshoppers grasshoppers grasshoppers grasshoppers
and weevils
One litre of
insecticide If old jungle stumps or
solution should Apply solution other dead vegetation
be applied to a from a can or mass is evident about
Rubber tree Lorsban chlorpyrifos shallow channel knapsack affected point, the
2.0 0.8
termite 40EC 38.7% around the bole sprayer with former should be
of the affected nozzle inspected and treated
tree. A radius of 3 detached if there are signs of
trees should be termite activity
similarly treated
Apply 2 litres og
insecticide
Before treatment,
solution to a 1m Use a
extent of infestation
radius circle watering can
should first be
Root-feeding Lorsban chlorpyrifos round affected with a fine
2.0 0.8 ascertain by ground
cockchafers 40EC 38.7% point, healthy shower
inspection, affected
trees on both head for
trees being used as
sides of affected application
the starting point
tree should be
similarly treated
Insecticide treatment
should only be
Bark-feeding Dipterex trichlorphon Apply on affected
0.20 0.19 Knapsack considered when
caterpillars 95SP 95% plants only
extensive wounding
of panel is experience
* X 10 = approximates rate in ml or g per litre water
 Recommended Dilution Rate
Insecticide Active Spraying
Pest Rate of Remarks
Formulation Ingredient Equipment
Application Formulation
% a.i.
*
Treatment is only
feasible in seed
gardens and ought
to be carried out
1.75 kg 0.5 0.48 Tractor
when seed crop is
formulation per mounted
Flower- threatened. Regular
hectare mistblower
feeding Dipterex trichlorphon sampling of flowers
caterpillars 95SP 95% at 1 inflorescence
and bugs - - Incorporated per 0.5 ha in a grid
1.75 kg with sulphur should be carried
formulation mixed dusting out throughout
thoroughly in 20 rounds flowering period to
kg sulphur per ha monitor pest
per round incidence
Apply 10-20
pellets over 30 cm
Snails and Metaldehyde square area
Siputox - - - -
slugs 5% pellets around points with
marked snail
activity

* X 10 = approximates rate in ml or g per litre water

 Harwar warfarin 0.05% On detection of rat
damage, baits
should
immediately be
laid down at 1 bait
per point over
entire area of
damage plus a 5
tree border.
Replacement
rounds should
Rats follow at 3-4 day - - - -
intervals, less if
fresh damage
ceases before this

Matikus brodifacoum As above, except

bait replacement
0.003% should be a 7-8
days instead of 3-
4

* X 10 = approximates rate in ml or g per litre water

 Recommended Dilution Rate
Insecticide Active Spraying
Pest Rate of Remarks
Formulation Ingredient Equipment
Application Formulation* % a.i.

Due to the lack of a

suitable poison bait,
trapping with drop-
door cages is the
best course of
action. One trap
with fruit-bait should
be placed at base of
Squirrels each damaged
- - - - - -
and shrews point plus a 2-3 tree
border. Traps
should be checked
alternate daily and
rebaited until
damage ceases,
tapping could be
augmented with
shooting
Macaques and leaf monkeys
Monkeys are
are protected animals in
generally tolerated
Peninsular Malaysia, thus
unless they cause
they cannot be
marked damage to
indiscriminately killed. If
trees. At such
shooting of such animals is
instance, attempts
unavoidable, the law requires
to scare them away
Monkeys - - - - - that proof of the animals
with gunfire should
causing destruction of crops
first be tried.
and failure of their being
Shooting of
sacred away is at hand. Also
monkeys should
any killings must be brought
only be
to the notice of the local game
contemplated as a
department and carcasses
very last resort
handed to them
 Control of Mites and Trips in
Immature Rubber Plantings

Introduction

Mites and thrips, besides being problematic in rubber

nurseries, have become increasingly troublesome in
immature rubber plantings where their attacks on
flushes often cause sustained defoliation of terminal
flushes, resulting a growth set-back. Under certain
conditions, the entire fields may be affected, resulting
in immaturity period being prolonged.
 Identity of Pests
Mites eight species of mites attack rubber in
Peninsular Malaysia, being broadly categorised as
yellow, red-spider or scarlet mites. Of these, the yellow
tea mite, Hemitarsonemus latus is recognized to be
the most important as a pest of rubber. Red-spider
and scarlet mites, though prevalent, are generally less
of a problem mainly because of their preference for
mature leaves, thus reducing their harmful effect.
However, there have recently been reports of the red-
spider mite Eutetranychus sp. being increasingly
troublesome in rubber.
Thrips to date, of six species recorded on rubber,
only one, Sericothrips dorsalis, is considered a pest.
 Control
Except for the yellow tea mite, which is reported
by LGM to proliferate during dry weather, all
other mite and thrip populations are not known
to be subject to any fixed environmental
influence. Clonal preference is also not
confirmed